Foot-mat.



J. OGONNELL.

FOOT MAT.

APPLICATION FILED 11011.12. 1909.

953,224. Patented Mar. 29, 1910.

Bmw E. wat l n/I dnwmp UNITED STATES rgrENfr OFFICE.

JAMES OCONNELL, F BEDFORD, INDIANA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-FOURTH T0 JAMES CULHAN AND ONE-FOURTH TO J. FRANK SMITH, BOTH 0F BEDFORD, INDIANA.

FOOT-MAT.

To all lwhom 'it 'may concern:

Be it krown that I, JAMES OCONNELL, a

lcitizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Bedford, in the county of Lawrence and State of Indiana, have invented a new and useful Foot-Mat, of which the following is a specification. 1t is the object of this invention, to provide a compressible foot matkprovided with a iuid-ejecting'device operable, when the `foot mat is trodden upon, to eject a fluid Specicatiqn of Letters Patent.

pression ofthe mat; and to provide novel means whereby the mat may return to its original contour after the compressive eifort has been removed therefrom.

It is to be understoodthat the drawings show preferred embodiments merely, and changes, properly falling within the scope of what 1s claimed, may be made, without A de arting from the spirit of the invention.

imilar numerals of reference are em-j ployed to denote corresponding parts throughoutthe several figures of the drawi of the springs and the bulbs 7.

ings, wherein Figure 1 shows the invention in top plan,

parts being broken away better to reveal the structure; Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinalsection upon the line A-B of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a fragmental detailperspective; and F 1g. 4 is a vertical longltudlnal sectlon of a modlficatlon of the device.

The foot mat proper may be of any desired construction, provided that it is yieldable. In orde-r, however, to present a concrete embodiment, I have shown 'the foot mat as comprising an upper frame 1 and a lower frame 2, the component members of the upper frame l being connected by crossed slats 4, and the component members of the lower frame 2 being connected by crossed-slats 3.

The upper slats 4 lare provided with a series of openings 5, and these openings 5 are alined, vertically, with seats 6, located Patented Mar. 29, 1910.

Application filed November 12, 1909. Serial No. 527,700.

being mounted in the upper slats 4, and the,

lower extremities of the springs being mounted in the lower slats 3. The upper frame 1 may be provided with a covering 11, of such a construction asl to simulate closely, an ordinary foot mat, the edges l). of the covering 11 being curved downwardly, so that the foot mat may not by any peculiarity in appearance,` excite the suspicion of the person about to tread upon the same. The covering 1l 'is provided with a plurality of openings 1-1 through which the bulbs 7 are adapted to discharge.

Fixed in. and rising from the lower frame 2 at suitable points, are pins 2() adapted to reciprocate in openings 27 in the upper frame 1, and in openings 28 in the covering 11, the said pins acting as guides to direct the movement. of the upper frame l upon the lower frame 2. Flexible members 25, straps or the like, connect theupper frame l with the lower frame 2 within the covering 11, and serve to limit the upward movement of the upper frame 1, under the action rial as denoted bythe numeral 15, there being, within the bod)1 of the foot mat, a plurality of chambers 1U, having reduced upper ends 1T, thc chambers 1G being, if desired, of substantially the ,same outline as the bulbs T.

In practical operation, the bulbs 7, or the chambers 1G, are filled with a brilliantly colored liquid, or, if desired, with a liquid adapted togive oit' an oi'ensive stench. The foot mat when thus charged, may be placed across a door-way, or in other locality which. is subject to trespass.v \Vhen the foot-mat is trodden upon, the contents of the bulbs 7v will be discharged upwardly, through the in the lower slats 3. The seats G serve to l covering 11. tinting the garments of the receive the lower extremities of compr l person who has tro den upon the mat,.in a

roo

-brilliant hue, or imparting to the garments of the person, a pungent or offensivev odor.

A burglar or other trespasser who has trodden upon a mat constructed in accord-- ance with the invention, may subsequently be; recognized, readily, either by the appearance, or by the odor of his garments. A

-The bulbs 7 are preferably fashioned from resilient material, such for instance, as rubber, and, .owing to the resiliency of the bulbs, it is obvious, that, if desired, the springs lO may be dispensed with, the bulbs 7 serving to actuate the upper frame 1- away from the lowerv frame 2, the pins 26 serving to direct the movement of the upper frame, and the members 25 serving to limit the movement of the upper frame.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is 1. A compressible foot-mat provided with a Huid-ejecting device operable bythe compression ofthe mat, and housed within the contour of the mat. K y

directly a ove the mat.

3. A resilient foot-mat provided with a fluid-ejecting device operable by the com-l pression of the mat, and housed within the contour of the mat.

4. A resilient foot-mat provided with a uid-ejecting ldevice operable bythe coml pression of the mat, and housed within the contour of the mat, the luid-ejecting device being arranged to discharge upwardly directly above the mati In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto aixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

JAMES OCONNELL. Witnesses:

Rosoon WHITE, CASH ODONALD.

`vice bein arranged to discharge upwardly, 

